Planning a summer vacation involves more than just choosing a destination; it involves understanding the financial aspects associated with travel and leisure activities. From accommodation and transportation to meals and entertainment, understanding the financial implications is crucial to a memorable and cost-effective trip.
Scholaroo’s data team explored the economic complexities of summer vacation planning, providing insights to help travelers make informed decisions. By analyzing trends in accommodation prices, transportation fares, and other relevant factors, our goal is to help people plan their summer vacations with confidence.
Dive into the state-by-state analysis of popular summer destinations and discover their importance with our interactive map. Choose your preferred criteria and explore each state’s unique ranking by hovering your mouse over the graphic!
The ranking of the cheapest states to plan your summer vacation
Breakdown of per capita costs by state
To see the ranking of states and the average cost per capita in various metrics, scroll to the right. To explore other states, scroll down. Or you can type the name of your state into the search box below.
Methodology
To establish a ranking of the 50 US states based on the costs of planning a summer trip in 2024, Scholaroo's data team identified eleven key metrics and then analyzed publicly available data on the average per capita values in a year associated with these metrics, and are listed below with their corresponding weight. Each metric was rated on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 being the maximum.
Finally, we determined each state’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.
Domestic flight: Regular Weight (10 points)
The average cost of a ticket for a domestic flight from each state.
Hotel accommodation: Double Weight (20 points)
The average cost of a daily hotel stay during the summer peak season.
Cost of eating out: Double Weight (20 points)
The average cost of a meal in a restaurant.
Regular gas: Regular Weight (10 points)
The average price of regular gasoline.
Social & Health clubs: Half Weight (5 points)
The average cost of a monthly membership in social & health clubs.
Movies: Half Weight (5 points)
The average cost of a movie ticket.
Sporting Events: Half Weight (5 points)
The average cost of a ticket to a sporting event.
Participant Sports: Half Weight (5 points)
The average cost of admission to participate in sports.
Theatre & Concerts: Half Weight (5 points)
The average cost of a theatre or a concert ticket.
Parks & Museums: Half Weight (5 points)
The average spent per capita on parks and museums.
Overnight summer camp: Regular Weight (10 points)
The average cost per capita to spend a night in a summer camp.